


Your "Glorious Evolution"

by Kasumi_Mitsukari



Category: League of Legends
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:09:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21552820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kasumi_Mitsukari/pseuds/Kasumi_Mitsukari
Summary: Piltover and Zaun. Two cities that are enemies longer than anyone could ever remember. Two cities which citizens hated each other. An unwritten law that was only broken when a young man from Zaun was accepted in the Academy of Piltover. But he does not only messed up this ancient rule but also the life of his room mate Jayce. You take two geniuses that are completely unable to deal with others around them and look what will happen. (Jayce x Viktor)
Relationships: Jayce/Viktor (League of Legends)
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone. At first english is not my first language so sorry when there are a lot of errors >-< I hope it is good enough to make the reading expirience as pleasant as possible. I wrote this story in german first and it is Viktors and Jayces lore but with a few adjustments because I love these two dorks too much and I want a happy ending for them <-<
> 
> Enjoy :3

_Darkness_

_Dirt_

_Illness_

_Death_

There were not a lot of good memories that Viktor had about the city he called his home. The streets were flooded with dirt and filth, everywhere was trash and poverty. He grimaced and grabbed the handle of his suitcase a little bit harder while he walked down one of the countless streets of Zaun. Pale green light shone out of the pipes, that ran through all the layers of the city just like arteries through a human body. It was omnipresent in every part of Zaun and made everything looking sick and pale. It was dull and presumably nothing near real sunlight. But how should Viktor know that? He never left Zaun once in his still young life and he only knew from the sun from books. But when everything worked out as planned that would maybe change pretty soon.  
“Viktor?”  
He froze and sighed. Then he looked over his shoulder. “You should not run around out here this early in the morning Emilia”, he said to the small girl behind him. She was wearing a very long shirt that she normaly used to sleep and her long brown hair were tied together to a ponytail that fell over her shoulder.  
Even before he could end his sentence the girl had run to his side and was now clinging to his long old mantle. “DON'T GO!”, she begged and burried her face in the rough fabric. Viktor sighed again and stroked over her hair carefully. The girl was dirty and too skinny for her age...how everyone in Zaun. Well at least everyone who was not one of these Chembarons who filled their pockets with dirty money day after day.  
“I need to go...”, he whispered quiet. Slowly he put down his suitcase and knelt before her so he was able to hug her. A few years ago he had met the girl for the first time when he helped the factory of her father to reduce the occurance of accidents to 0 percent. Her father, the director of said factory, was so grateful that he asked Viktor if he would like to eat dinner with him and his family and Viktor agreed, were he then met little Emilia. She was so happy that she never needed to fear again that her father would not come home again because something happened to him in the factory and would leave her and her mother alone like this. Her eyes sparkeled like stars that day and that was more than enough payment for Viktor for his work. That was what he was working for. He wanted to improve the life quality of the people who lived here in Zaun. To give them the chance to live a life that was worth living. But that was also the reason he needed to go.  
“Why do you _need_ to go?”, mumbled Emilia and she looked away. “Stay with us...We need you and your mashines. Who when not you should otherwise prevent all these accidents that still happen everywhere?”. She looked with big blue eyes up to him. Eyes filled with tears. Viktor needed to look away immedietly or he would stay in the end. “I need to follow the offer of mister Stanwick, Emilia”, he explained to her calmly. “From down here I will never be able to help Zaun properly. But up there in Piltover I have so many more options...”  
Emilia sniffed and clinged even more at him. “Will you promise me that you will come back?”  
He smiled. “Of course”. He opened a little bag that was on the side of his suitcase and pulled out a little ball made out of glass. It was just big enough that it fit in the palm of his hand and inside shimmered a pale white energy.  
“Wooooooow what is that?”  
Curious she strocked over the smooth surface of the sphere. Viktor smiled and placed it carefully in her small hands. She needed to take both of them to hold it properly. “It is a present”, he said. “A little experiment I worked on. This ball is made out of extreme hard glass, undestructable and it works like a storage. The molekular structure allows it to-” He stopped when he noticed Emilias reproachful expression. Like always when he ended up talking a little bit too theoretically for everyone else. “-it stores Energy”, he finished a little lame and stroked embarrassed over his neck. “When there should be another fallout around here you will have at least a little light with you. That you never need to be afraid again.” Emilia smiled and pressed the little glowing ball to her chest. “How long will it work before its Energy is empty?” “I will be back before that happens!”, he ensured and ruffled trough her hair. “And now back to bed before your mother catches you outside~”  
She giggled and hugged him one last time. Then she ran away and disappeared behind the next corner. Viktor sighed, srocked through his own chaotic hair and took his suitcase again. That the enrgy inside the little ball would last for another 100 years was something the little girl didn't need to know. And with some luck she would never need to find out.  
He adjusted the old, and a little bit battered round glasses. Then he made his way to the elevators were Stanwick wanted to wait for him.

He was 2 hours early at the meeting point. But he was fine with that. Like that he had a little bit of time to think. About Zaun and the life that would await him in Piltover. And somehow he didn't feel well about all of this. It felt too much as if he would abandon Zaun and all it's residents just to live a better live himself up there. He grimaced right when the elevater stopped beside him and the doors opened loudly.  
Stanwick was not a sympathetic man. He was short, just a little bit higher than Viktor himself and he was 19, and thin. His shiny hair was comed back and his look was cold and judging and the smile he wore when he walked beside Viktor was faked and didn't reach his steel gray eyes. “Ahhhh Viktor~ There you are my boy~”  
Viktor slightly bowed respectful and mumbled a quiet “I am happy to see you, sir” when Stanwick reached his side. “Is that all you have?”, Stanwick asked and looked over the small suitcase by Viktors side who nodded shortly. “I don't own a lot of worth, sir. And even less I would claim as worthy enough to take it with me to Piltover.”  
Stanwick nodded understandlingly and took a step back. “Well then let us go. We don't have much time unfortunatly. The director wants to see you in one hour in his office.”  
Viktor nodded and entered the elevator. The trip up was not really enjoyable. And even with his very slim stature he had not much space inside the very smal elevator. But he was quiet the whole time and stared in front of him. When the elevator finally stopped and the doors opened the first thing he needed to do was closing his eyes in pain. His eyes were so conditioned to the poor light from Zaun that the bright sunlight here on the surface was burning his eyes. Stanwick laughed and took out sunglasses from his breastpocket while he was watching the in pain crouched Viktor beside him. „I thought something like this would happen. Here boy take this“ Thankful Viktor took them and after he put them on he saw the legendary city Piltover for the very first time. And he instantaneously fell in love with it. Everything and everyone here screamed science. Some of the buildings even had giant cogwheels as decorations or they were part of a bigger construct that Viktor could not see right now. Everything was so bright and clean and the people on the streets seemed happy and, even more important, healthy. It was completely different in comparison to Zaun. “Don't stare so intently the people start to talk~”, laughed Stanwick. “This is your home too from now on. And everyone expects a lot from you!” Viktor looked up to Stanwick. The uncertainty and fear from earlier was completely gone and made place for curiosity. That was a place he could feel comfortable in.

He learned how wrong he was when he sat in front of the Director of the Academy. “You are 5 minutes late!”, he grumbled and looked down on Viktor in front of him who shrinked in his seat and stared at his hands.  
“I am sorry, sir, but Stanwick has been stopped by-”  
“Poor excuses for your inability! I didn't expect something else from someone out of Zaun!”  
His voice was so filled with hatred and disgust that Viktor went silent immediately.  
“I hope for you that you will not be late to the lectures Mister...”  
“Viktor”  
“What?”  
“My name is Viktor”  
“Yea yea. Whatever”  
The director stood up and walked around the table to his side. He handed him a bunch of papers. His stare was even darker now. “In there are al informations you need. House rules, your room number and so on. When you have questions ask someone. Your room mate would be the best choice so that you will not disturb anyone else. You don't look like someone who knows when he disturbs someone and when not.” He eyed his clothing with disgust and snorted. “And now go!”  
The school building was completely empty. Not a single student was roaming around. It was very early in the morning and possible that most students were still asleep. Not that it bothered him. He witnessed first hand that the hatred against Zaunites from Piltovians were not just rumours and he was not stupid. He knew what would await him when it came out were he was from. And it wouldn't take long, he knew that. He was born in one of the deepest districts of Zaun and his accent was very prominent. And even when he tried so hard to hide it, there were still words and sentences were it was pretty clear were he was from. He sighed and replaced the sunglasses with his normal, round ones. The bright light that poured through the huge windows along the hallways was still painful for his eyes but it was bearable by now. And the last thing he wanted was to look like a freak in front of his new room mate. There was only one chance for the first impression.  
He clenched his fist around the handle of his suitcase and took a deep breath as he stood in front of room number 120. What was about to come now would determine if the next weeks and years would be a horror trip or at least bearable enough to live a normal life here in Piltover. One last deep breath. Then he knocked and opened the door. The first thing he noticed was that the room wasn't really big. It had bunk beds and two desks on the opposite wall and on which was an unbelievable chaos. They were filled with a lot of little mechanical parts and tools and here and there were a few blueprints.  
The pale morning light fell through two little windows and in the middle of the room was a low table made out of glass and an old looking couch.  
He noticed the young man that sat on it just then and his bright grey-blue eyes eyed him warily.  
“Uh...Hi”, Viktor stammered a little bit nervous, stroking over his neck like always when he was nervous.  
“Hi”, was the short answer and the boy stood and walked around the table in front of him. His arms were crossed and one glance was enough to see how much he thought of himself and how little of Viktor.  
“So you are the new student, huh?”  
“Äh....yea”  
“How was your name again? Vincent?”  
“V...Viktor”  
“Ah okay”  
The mood was horrible tense and uncomfortable. A long silence in which Viktor tried to avoid the boys gaze as good as he could started until it was unbearable for the young Zaunite.  
“And what's your name?”  
“Jayce”, was the short and cold answer of the boy.  
“Uhm...nice to meet you...”  
“Not for me”  
Viktor fell silent immediately and looked up to Jayce . “Just to make things clear, midget. I don't like you” Outraged Viktor stared up at him. Just because he was a head higher than he was was it not a reason for him to just take the insults. Fuck the first impression he had a little bit of self-esteem left!  
“Just to make things clear, prig”, he hissed and glared with a look at Jayce as if he wanted to ignite the young man right here and now when it would be possible to kill someone just with your stare alone. “I don't like you neither! I may be from Zaun and you Piltovians are so arrogant and narrow-minded to think that you are above everyone else and that the people from Zaun are not more than filthy animals. But just because I was not fed with a silverspoon and spoiled like you that doesn't mean that I am somehow below you!”  
Angry he stomped over to the beds and heaved his suitcase onto the upper bed. “On the contrary. I learned what it means to survive. Not like you”  
Jayce was silent, while Viktor climbed on his bed and started to take out a few of his suitcase, his gaze now absent. There was another long silence and Viktor only looked up when something landed next to him. It was a white lab coat and a uniform, presumably the one from the Academy. Puzzled he looked down to Jayce who didn't look back. “They did not give you a uniform, right?” Viktor nodded and strocked over the white fabric. “Take my old one. It shrinked anyway. Fits a midget like you better than me. And like that....well...” He waved with his hand in his direction and pointed at his old and dirty clothes. “When you go like this to your first lecture you lose immediately. So that you have at least a little Chance that the others don't realize where you are from. Or at least until you open your mouth....No joke you need to lose this accent of yours as soon as possible.”  
Viktor smiled mildly and took of the Jacket he wore to test the lab coat. And it fitted him perfectly. He looked with sparkling eyes to Jayce. “Thank you~” Jayce snorted and disappeared in the bed underneath Viktors, who just chuckled and shook his head. His speech earlier must have made an impression on Jayce. And suddenly he thought that it could all be better that he may be thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will go over this text once it is finished so sorry if there are too many errors >-<

He learned how wrong he was in his first lecture of the day. When he entered the room everyone eyed him like he was some sort of exotic but dangerous animal. But everything was really over when he opened his mouth for the first time to answer a question. He heard the whispering and the felt the starring eyes from everyone around him piercing him from every direction.  
“Well you should have kept your mouth shut”, Jayce explained that evening. Viktor sat on his bed and scribbled indiscriminately a few equations into his book, while he explained Jayce what had happened that day in class and how all the stares had almost suffocated him.  
“It is how I said. You have a really strong accent. The moment you opened your mouth it was clear for everyone that you are from Zaun.”  
Viktor grimaced and set aside his pencil. “I know that you people from Piltover don’t like people from Zaun but….I mean everyone here has an IQ far above average, right? Why is something stupid like racism a problem here anyway goddammit?” Angry and frustrated he fell back into his pillows. “Our goal should be to collect and fathom as much knowledge as possible. Everyone’s interest should lie in science and not in such primitive nonsense.” He took his glasses from his nose and rubbed his tired eyes. “That may be”, Jayce answered and stretched. “But then you must assume that these thoughts that let our classmates encounter you with such hatred are rational and logical. But these sort of emotions are rarely like that. “He yawned and looked up to Viktor who moaned in frustration. “In Piltover we learn since generations that everything that goes wrong is Zauns fault. They all grew up with the hatred against you and your fellow man because it is easier to shove your own damn mistakes at someone who is not able to fight for themselves. They never learned something different so how could you be angry about them, midget?”  
“Stop calling me that!”, Viktor grumbled and looked down.  
“What about you?”  
“Hm?”  
“Well when everyone in Piltover grew up with a hatred against Zaun that includes you right? So why don’t you hate me like everyone else here?”  
Jayce was silent for a few moments where he seemed to think about his answer. “I did”, he then said and he looked back up at him. Grey-blue eyes met bright yellow ones. “Remember? Our first words to each other were not really friendly-“  
Viktor laughed and let his head fall back into his pillows again. “Right. But why that change of heart?”  
Again a short silence filled the room. Then: “You are the first one who fought back.” Surprised Viktor sat up again to stare down to Jayce who stood in the middle of the room and stared down. His gaze was filled with uncertainty. “You know….I am not really popular myself…” Thereupon Viktor started to laugh and he couldn’t stop until his stomach hurt. “Hey that is NOT funny!” Jayce said indignantly and reproachful stared up to his roommate who couldn’t stop laughing. “S…Sorry but….hahaha you really want to trick me huh? Good joke! You and not popular yea suuure” He shook his head and tried to calm himself. Jayce pouted and crossed his arms in front of his chest.  
“But I am telling the truth!”  
“Yea sure sunnyboy. Every girl will fall in love with you when you want it with your handsome look. And I mean….you are the youngest student that was ever accepted in the history of the academy. The only reason why the other boys could hate you is because the are jealous. Oh and the thing with the girls of course.” He brushed away some tears that had appeared from his laughter, still laughing a little bit. “Really. Trying to trick me like that as if-“  
He suddenly stopped as something knocked him over and back into his pillows. Confused he blinked up to his attacker. “Jayce what-“ “I do not lie!” The taller man had climbed up to him and was now pressing him into his bed. His voice and gaze were filled with anger and…despair? Viktors laughing disappeared immediately as he stared up to the other one. “Jayce…” “You are the first!” Jayces face turned soft and he started to smile. “Everyone here thinks that I am an arrogant asshole. But no one is brave enough to say something because my parents are relatively powerful here in Piltover. That’s the reason why everyone just tries to ignore me. Not that it bothers me. No one in this academy is even close to my Nivea. About what would I be able to talk with them anyway? But you…you are different! I saw your notes you brought with you. They are not perfect but nonetheless….brilliant!” Viktor blinked surprised and stared up at Jayce while he tried to free his hands from his grip. “Big mouth for someone as lonely as you are.”, he said teasing but smiling. Jayce laughed. “That was something I could always be proud of”. He let him go and sat up while Viktor did the same, rubbing his wrists. “You do know that that was really gay right?”  
“Well maybe I am gay who knows, midget?”  
“Oho so that means that you flirted with me, prig?”  
“Maybe~“  
They laughed and joked around for a little while until Viktor couldn’t hide his yawning any longer. Jayce climbed back into his own bed and sighed satisfied.  
The light turned off and silence filled the room.  
“Hey midget?”  
“Yea, prig?”  
“Don’t let these idiots tease you too much tomorrow okay?”  
Viktor smiled and pulled his sheets higher to cuddle into them. “Don’t worry. You are my roommate so I am used to suffering~”

Despite his confident words, the next day was pure hell for Viktor. Day after day, it was only getting worse. While his relationship to Jayce grew and they realized how alarmingly good they completed each other’s work, his relationship to the other students was growing out of control. At first, there was just the whispering behind his back but soon it went over to personal attacks. At this point it was almost normal that he would leave the classroom with hear filled with chalk powder or machine oil and of course, all professors were against him too. They all said that it happened because of his inability and, of course, what else would you expect from such a ,stupid Zaunite’?  
He stopped long ago to try to defend himself in that matter and just let it all happen. Discussing things would only make everything worse and the only reason why he was allowed to stay in the academy were his achievements that were all above average.  
“I really want to punch them in the face!”, Jayce hissed who was helping Viktor to wash the oil residues out of his Hair right now who sat, upper body free, before the bathtub in their shared bathroom. He sighed, while Jayce washed away the last bits of Oil. “We talked about this, Jayce. No contact outside of our room. I don’t want to pull you into this mess.”  
Jayce snorted angrily and pulled a little bit harder than necessary at Viktors hair.  
“Hey, be careful!”  
“Sorry…but this is so stupid”  
“You don’t need to tell me that.”  
Shortly after, they were finished and Viktor wrapped a towel around his head and stood up. “Thanks for helping me with-“ He stopped when he turned around and saw Jayce’s shocked expression. “What?” The taller one pointed at his upper body and he looked down. Now he understood what was going on. “Oh- Just….ignore this okay?” His whole front was covered in scars and burns. “Vik, what the hell happened to you?”, Jayce asked more than shocked and Viktor sighed. “Zaun is not the nicest place to live, you know?”, he explained while he rubbed his hair dry with the towel. “Chemical accidents are absolutely normal down there. And when the toxic fumes don’t kill you then it will be the Chembarons and their assassins.” He shrugged as if this statement was the most normal one in the world. “That’s why I want to help Zaun and its residents so badly. Children are dying down there Jayce! And to help them I need to use the only thing I am good with! Science!” He put down the towel and put on his glasses. “There are no safety rules down there like in the laboratory’s up here. I needed to work with what was available and often that ended in explosions or burnings. But that is a small sacrifice.” He put on his shirt again and looked up. Jayces eyes were filled with pain as if he experienced everything he talked about first hand. “We will find a way to help your people.”, he promised Viktor who started to smile. “ Thank you Jayce but this is a fight I need to win on my own.” “But not alone!”, Jayce insisted and put on his infamous and absolutely annoying smile. Everyone else would think it was arrogant but Viktor knew that it meant that Jayce made a decision and that nothing in the world would change his mind. He sighed and stroked his chaotic hair back. “Then do what you want, Idiot~“


	3. Chapter 3

The following month were not getting easier for Viktor. But he was able to survive these days, most of all because of the evenings with Jayce he looked forward to every day now. They made it their hobby to discuss over blueprints and theories, often until unholy hours. And, again, he needed to smile as he realized how perfectly they completed each other While Jayce was more someone for the Aesthetic, Viktor focused more on the mechanical details. When Jayce was once again a little bit too sloppy with his work, Viktor would correct the errors before they really were able to appear thanks to his methodical, logical and neat methods. Jayce on the other hand was much better in ethical and interpersonal interactions and convinced him to cancel projects that may be possible like this in Zaun but would be a problem in Piltover. He quietly laughed as he thought back to the last discussion they had. He didn’t even remembered what it was about but it ended with Jayce tickling him half to death on the couch so that he would finally agree with his opinion. They understood each other so well….he couldn’t recall that he had ever let someone come so close to him. Physically and emotionally. After all, you couldn’t trust anyone in Zaun without risking a dagger in your back or betrayal. But life here in Piltover was different. Sure, he would never trust another student here neither and even towards the professors, he was distrustful. But Jayce….Jayce was different. He understood him better than no one else would ever be able to. They were not only on the same intelligence level, no, they also shared the same interests and were able to discuss a problem over hours until they found a satisfactory result for both of them.   
“Hey what is going on in that big head of yours right now, huh?”  
He almost got a heart attack as Jayce’s amused voiced pulled him out of his daydreams. “What on earth- What are you doing here?”, he stammered and stared at his roommate who sat beside him now. “Oh don’t tell me you were so lost in your daydreams about me that you didn’t hear that our groups were put together to work on a massive project together~”  
Viktor blushed immediately and boxed him against his shoulder. “I didn’t thought about you, prig!”, he grumbled and Jayce laughed. “Sure thing, midget~“ When he noticed the stares from the others around them he added “Not that I am interested in anything that a Zaunite like you could think about. I am muuuuch to great for people like you!”   
Viktor needed to suppress a snort. His play was so overdrawn that it was almost unbelievable. On the other hand….it was Jayce they were talking about. He just was like this. So…it’s showtime!  
“I would never tell an idiot like you what I think anyway. Your brain capacity would not be able to process what I would tell you”  
“You’re right. My brain would never start to work for the pitiful amount of information you could possibly give me~”  
Viktor glared at him and Jayce stared back. And their play was obviously good enough to convince everyone around them because the first students started to crowd Jayce. They started to talk about his poor state as Viktors roommate and how they all felt pity for him. 

“So now tell me”, Jayce said and leaned back into the couch. It was evening again and they were in their room as always. Jayce on the couch and Viktor at his desk, working on a new project. “What distracted you today in class?”   
Viktor stopped for a moment and shoved his glasses higher up his nose, his cheeks bright red. He sat with his back towards Jayce but he knew that he had put on this stupid wide and smug smile.   
“My….new project of course.”  
“Suuuuuuure~ And now the truth midget~”   
He heard how Jayce stood up and wandered over to him. “You can tell me! I will not tell anyone, promise~”   
Viktor winced as Jayces cold hands were suddenly on his neck and he spun around and glared at him with anger in his eyes. “Hands off!”, he hissed even when his bright red face showed that it was more out of embarrassment than anger. And Jayce saw that of course. He was able to read him like one of his physic books at this point. “You thought about all this, right?” He pointed around them. “Your ,safe place’ is what you called it, right?”   
Viktor saw away and sighed annoyed. “You will not keep quiet until I tell you, huh?”  
“Nope~“  
„Okay, yes. I thought about….this whole situation.” He took of his gloves and leaned back into his chair. “I mean it IS the only thing that keeps me sane….that makes this whole situation bearable. To know that there is at least someone in this academy who is not a complete retard!” Jayce laughed. “I know that feeling. Even when I do not have this whole mobbing part….” His smile turned gentle. “I am happy to have you here, Viktor~”  
Viktor swallowed and looked up at him. “Thank you…” Jayce patted on his shoulder and smiled. “And now show me what you waaay to big head had produced this time, will you?” For that he got a slap from Viktor before he handed him his notes. 

The project they were supposed to work together on was planned over a period of 2 month. In short: a very long time especially for Viktor. He and Jayce were perfectly fine while just avoiding each other in the halls. That had worked so well because they were in two different groups with different schedules for the lectures. But now they were forced to pretend all day that they hated each other. Viktor was okay with this because that doesn’t change anything about their evenings and he knew that it was all just show.  
“I hate it. I don’t want to talk to you like that”, Jayce sighed one evening and wrapped his arms around him. Viktor was used to body contact with Jayce at this point. It seemed that the older one just needed the closeness from time to time.   
“It’s the best for now, believe me”, he said smiling and continued to work on the spherical device in his hands. “Nooooooooooo! I don’t care if they start to bully me too! I don’t care about them!”   
“Jayce, please…”  
Viktor put the aside and looked up to Jayce whose had was resting on his shoulder. He pouted like always when they talked about this. “For being a genius you can be really stupid sometimes, prig” He flicked against his forehead and Jayce grimaced. “Then explain it to me!”, he demanded and Viktor sighed. “I already explained it a thousand- ungh…whatever” HE stood up and turned around to face Jayce, hands on his hips and with a serious expression. “I will explain it one more time! And this time you will listen!”  
Jayce stood up too and snorted. “Sure. I am listening~“ He had this unbelievable charming smile again, that Viktor hated and loved because it was able to let him do whatever Jayce wanted him to do.  
He sighed and looked everywhere else, while Jayce didn’t looked away from him once. And that made him extremely nervous.   
“I am a guest here. When my time here is over I will go back to Zaun…You on the other hand will stay here in Piltover” He took Jayces hands and stroked carefully over the back of his hand with his thumb. His voice was filled with worry. “When you get known as a friend of a Zaunite you will never lose that reputation again. That would destroy your future here and I do not want that!”   
Jayce smiled gently and put his hand on Viktors blushing cheeks what made him look up to him. His heart was pounding like crazy against his ribs as he saw Jayce’s gaze on him. It was so….gentle and full of….  
“I want to spend my time with you, midget~ If you go back to Zaun I will come with you and when you want to stay to help your people from here I will do whatever I can to support you. As long as I can stay with you.” He laughed silently as he saw the tears in Viktor’s eyes. “But why?”, Viktor stammered with a fragile voice. “For being a genius you can be really stupid sometimes, midget~”, Jayce quoted him and the next thing Viktor felt were Jayces lips on his own.  
When he would think back later, he would not be able to tell what all the different emotions were that he felt in that very moment. It was just too much that happened in that few minutes. Normally he would only trust his logic and would try to ignore everything that had to do with emotions. But now they were flooding every fiber of his being with such intensity that his legs were getting weak and that his head was not able to make any coherent thought whatsoever.   
“Wow midget is everything alright?”, Jayce laughed as he released him and needed to help him stay because Viktor would have just fallen to the floor without him. He was laying in Jayces arms now, eyes half closed and panting while he clutched at Jayces Arms with trembling hands. “T…The chemical procedures inside me are out of control”, he stammered and Jayce started to laugh. “Well does it feel good or not?”   
Viktor was silent for a moment and Jayce already wanted to let him go, thinking that he maybe was too fast too soon, as Viktor grabbed his collar and pulled him into another kiss. But this one was not gentle at all. It was heated and demanding. “I want more!”, Viktor answered panting as he separated from him for a short while before he kissed him again and again. “More!”  
Jayce laughed into the kiss and put his hands on Viktors hips to lift him up and carry him to his bed. “Your wish is my command~“, he whispered as he put him down on the sheets. Their clothes were fast on the floor and Viktors glasses landed somewhere in between. “You are beautiful~“, Jayce whispered as he looked down to Viktor who laid completely naked and panting beneath him. Viktor just snorted thereupon. “Sure me and beautiful. Your taste in all honors but where is this” and he pointed at all the scars that covered his body. “beautiful, huh?” Jayce laughed silent and stroked over one of the longer scars that reached from Viktors collarbone, over his breasts to his stomach. Viktor shuddered. “They are a part of you. Every single one is a symbol how much you want to help the people you care for. Sure, your skin is breathtaking without them” He stroked over the skin on his neck and face that was without any scars. “It is like porcelain. And every scar is like the pattern that makes it into the breathtaking work that it is. They complete you and do not destroy anything~“  
Viktor didn’t know what he should say in that moment. His heart pounded in his ribcage and he felt very hot right now. “I love you, Viktor”, Jayce whispered instead and kissed him lovingly. And Viktor had no other choice than to answer him through this kiss because he lost all his words in that moment. Jayce understood and his hands traveled more and more gen south. “I am so happy that I was able to meet you.”, he breathed into his ear. 

Viktor couldn’t really remember what happened after that, as he laid panting and covered in sweat next to Jayce in his bed, who covered his neck and face with gentle kisses. He could just remember a true explosion of colors and emotions that exceeded in their intensity everything he had ever felt before in his life. Sure there was also a little bit of pain mixed into everything but it was so minor that he couldn’t remember if it even was unpleasant or even wanted.   
“Are you okay?”  
He looked to the side were two glowing eyes met his. “Was I too wild?”  
He smiled weakly and shook his head. “I have no energy over whatsoever. But beside that I am fine. More than that.” He laughed happily and cuddled even more into Jayces arms that he had wrapped around him. “I never felt so many Emotions! It was…incredible!” Jayce smirked and brushed through his chaotic dark brown hair. “Don’t stop~ I love to hear how good I was~” For that comment he got a punch against his arm that made him laugh. “Just kidding~ I am just happy that you were able to enjoy it as much as I did.” He smiled dreamily and stroked over his cheeks. “Was that your first time?” Again Viktor felt how the blood rushed into his head and he looked away. “Y….Yea….I had never time for a relationship in Zaun and-“ He stopped and went pale. Jayce eyed him confused. “What’s wrong?”, he asked concerned and straightened a little bit. His head laid on his hand now as he stared down to him and stroked a few hairs out of his shocked face. “Homosexuality is something that is despised in Piltover right?”, he mumbled. ”I heard that they banished people for that….” A pair of lips silenced him before he could even finish his sentence. He realized that tears were running down his cheeks as Jayce carefully brushed them away and looked down to him. “Yes it is despised here. But I do not see why anyone else except of us two should know about this”, he said with a calming voice. “It's our little secret. In the Academy we already need to pretend that we hate each other. So nothing will change there.”  
“And after the Academy?”  
“We go to Zaun. No one cares about that sort of thing down there, right?”  
Viktor smiled and nodded, leaning into Jayces big hand on his cheek. “So you meant it. That you would come with me when I return home.” Jayce laughed and nodded. “Of course, midget. As if I would let you go alone so that someone else can steal you away from me. Hell no I will not take this risk.” He wrapped his arms around him and pulled him against his chest. “There is no ,risk', prig. No one else sees what you see in me-”  
“They are all ignorant! How could they not see the beauty that lies in front of them?”  
“Jayce-”  
“What?”  
“It's okay. We already had sex you can stop with all that exaggerated compliments-”  
“Never!”  
He bathed him with kisses and sweet words until Viktor fell happy and exhausted asleep in his arms. 

The following weeks went by in a flash. They felt like being in a dream and Viktor didn't want to wake up from it. Even these cursed hours they needed to pretend to hate each other in front of the other students were kind of funny now because Jayce tried to push their play more and more so that it was almost too unbelievable. But it was convincing enough that everyone in the academy now thought that they were archenemys. In the evenings they would then joke over what happened while Viktor found himself more and more in Jayces lap on the couch with his arms wrapped around him. Normally you would never expect this from Jayce but he loved it to cuddle a lot and who was Viktor to deny him this? They discussed different things like this with a few breaks were they kissed lovingly or even heated and the one who won the discussion could decide what they would do or try out when they had sex the next time.   
Viktor was never so happy in his life before and his goal to help the people in Zaun seemed more possible with Jayce by his side and his political influence over his parents.   
It was just perfect.  
But it was too perfect.   
Because one day every dream came to an end and the reality wakes you with full force.   
It was week 4 were they worked together with group 2 now. The first phase were they planned everything on blueprints was over now and today they started with phase 2 were they wanted to put together the robot that should be able to collect trash from the different laboratorys and workshops and convert it into energy in the end. It was a very big project but on the other hand they had 2 of the smartest heads of Runeterra in their team. And because of that the blueprints were finished much faster than anticipated.   
“Not bad”, Viktor said as they entered the giant workshop of the academy.  
“Here for the first time, midget?”  
He looked up to Jayce and snorted. “And what if?” Jayce smiled and leaned down to him a little bit. “You should have seen your face~ That sparkling in your eyes was like a child that got what it wished for the most! That was really adorable, you know?”, he whispered silent enough that only Viktor was able to hear it. Viktor blushed immediately with a dark red color and pushed Jayce away from him who started laughing. He stomped to one of the workbenches and tried to calm his treacherous pounding heart. What an idiot! Did he want that the others found out?

The work on the robot was a lot faster than everyone thought. But the blueprints were so detailed and worked out that all they needed to do was to find the right pieces and put them together. On day 3 they were already so far that they could run a few tests. “Good work, Jayce”, said Viktors professor. Viktor stood smiling by the machine were he monitored the tests . He looked over to Jayce who searched his gaze and nodded. He knew that he wanted to tell the professor that he was not the only one who was responsible for the fast progress. But for Viktor it was just important that Jayce knew this. Everyone else was not important enough for him and Jayce knew that.   
“Thank you, sir”  
“You are already the best here. You will bring Piltover a lot of progress and fame in the future I know that!”  
“I will, sir.”  
“And how far are the preparations for your upcoming wedding so far?”  
Viktor froze and clutched his notes a little bit more. A wedding? What was the professor talking about?  
“Oh tha-”  
He did not look to Jayce and pretended that he didn't heard a thing because he was too busy working on the machine.   
“I wanted to talk with my father about that......I am not really happy with the idea....”  
“The most are not happy with it. But you are old enough now to find a wife and to get a few children, Jayce. You need to give your precious genes to the next generation and your father knows that. You had enough time to find a girlfriend but your last relationships didn't even last longer than a month. No wonder that your father now wants to go that far.”  
Jayce sighed and stroked over his tired face.   
“I am not ready...”  
“Did you met her already?”  
“Yea...And she is nice and pretty.....and I think that she is in love with me but....”  
“You don't love her back?”  
“No...”  
“You will. Give her time~”  
“Yes Jayce! You will be a wonderful husband!”  
Both of them looked up as Viktors sharp voice interrupted their conversation and Jayce went pale in seconds. “Viktor...” He hurried to his side. “I wanted to tell you! Really....” Viktor snorted and his gaze was filled with pure hatred and disappointment. “I trusted you!”, he screamed. And this time it was no play. No, this time it was serious and both of them knew that. Everyone in the room went silent and watched them, curious what they would argue about this time. “But your life is nothing I should care about right?” Viktors voice was filled with sarcasm. “Because I am just a dirty Zaunite and you can do with me whatever you want. I mean I should be used to being used already right?”   
Tears welled up in his eyes and they burned like fire on his skin. “I am so stupid....I should have never trusted you for even a second!”  
“Viktor please!”, Jayce pleaded and came closer to lay his hand on his shoulder. But Viktor pushed his hand away and stumbled backwards. “DON'T TOUCH ME!” He sobbed and turned away from him. “Let me be! Please....go!” “Viktor please let me explain! This whole marriage thing is my fathers idea not mine! I did not tell you anything because I thought that I would be able to solve this before it really is a problem but....”  
“But you couldn't. And soon you will marry and have children I see.”  
“Viktor no! You are the only one I would ever want a family with!”  
He wrapped his arms around him and rested his chin on his shoulder. Viktor had wrapped his arms around himself and sobbed even more. “Stop telling me those lies Jayce I don't want to hear them!”  
“I am not lying, midget....I mean it! And when you do not believe me I will go to my father right now and tell him that I already have someone I want to marry!” With eyes full of tears Viktor looked up to him and sniffed. “W...What?” Jayce smiled. “You heard me. I knew from the beginning that you are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I just waited for the right moment....well here it is I guess. I would have preferred one of our evenings with a few candles and stuff like this but here we go. Viktor” He turned him towards him, took his hands in his own and knelt before him. “Marry me”.  
Silence filled the room and everyone stared at them, waiting patiently what would happen next. They had expected everything but sure as hell not that. And even Viktor was speechless. His heart pounded like crazy as he looked down at Jayce who waited patiently for his answer. “Are you crazy?”, Viktor stammered as he found his voice again. “In front of all these people....Jayce what is with your reputation?”   
“I don't care for my reputation! You are the only thing that is important for me. More important than anything else could ever be!”  
With those words he pulled something out of his pocket. As Viktor realized what it was he forgot to breathe for a second. It was a ring. He looked a little bit like a gear and sparkled in a dull gold. “I am planning this for weeks now.”, Jayce confessed and smiled shyly. “So....what do you say?”  
In Viktors head was a pure chaos of thoughts right now as he stared down at him. Emotions crashed together, fell apart, were completely chaotic and still so so clear to him....and all of this overstrained him more than anything before. “Jayce I....” He freed his hands and stumbled a few steps back. And there it happened. He overlooked a metal plate on the ground and he lost his balance as he stumbled backwards. He tried to find something to hold onto. The next thing he heard was the metallic buzzing of a saw, the crunching sound of breaking bones and the screams of many students around them. Suddenly there was blood....so much blood....and Jayce who stared in his direction with pure horror in his eyes. And then there was suddenly the pain. Even before he touched the ground he screamed a deafening scream and clutched his arm. Only slowly he realized what had happened. He had lost his balance and in his desperate try to find something to hold onto he had reached into the saws of the robot that were supposed to shred the garbage in the future. It had activated itself on contact.   
Viktor screamed and screamed while he clutched his bloody and lacerated left arm. The professors and Jayce ran as fast as they could to his side.  
“VIKTOR!”, Jayce screamed in panic as he fell on his knees beside him. “Oh my god Viktor no.....DO SOMETHING!” He looked to the shocked professors. “Everything that happened afterwards was like a blur to Viktor. The pain was everywhere and he felt how he lost a lot of blood. He felt how he started to lose his consciousness but he needed to tell Jayce something!  
“J...Jayce...”  
“Don't talk! They are on their way to the doctors. They will fix that!”  
Jayces voice quivered and he could hear that he was crying. He smiled. “Jayce....listen....”, he mumbled. His voice was getting weaker every second.   
“I....love you....”  
Then everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

Everything he was able to feel around him was dull as he opened his eyes slowly. As if he was wrapped in wool or deep under water. He felt that he was inside a bed and that the light in the room was only dim and weak. He tilted his head slightly to the side and realized that he was in a hospital room. The sky behind the windows was pitch black and the only sound were here and there a few footsteps when someone passed his room. His wandering gaze stopped as he saw the person that sat beside his bed in a chair and slept silently.   
Jayce looked terrible. His upper body rested on his bed and his head rested on his crossed arms. He was awfully pale and had horrible dark bags under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept in days. His normally perfectly made hair was a complete mess and his clothes were crumpled. Viktor put his hand carefully on Jayces and he immediately startled and looked irritated up and around. As his gaze locked with Viktors his eyes lit up and he took his hand in his, pressing it lovingly. “You are awake, midget”, he whispered. His voice was hoarse and thick with sleep. It seemed that he had cried a lot when his blood red eyes were any further indication.   
“How long was I asleep?”, Viktor asked silently and stroked with his thumb over Jayces Hand.   
“1 week”, Jayce mumbled. “The first few days you had around 6 operations. The doctors didn’t even know if you would even made it till yesterday…..” Viktor heard immediately what terror that uncertainty had caused in him and he couldn’t even imagine what he went through this past week. “I’m sorry…”, he whispered even when he knew that it wasn’t really his fault. Jayce thought that too apparently because he answered very quick “Don’t apologize! I am the one who should apologize here…”   
Puzzled Viktor looked up to him. “It is all my fault…. Because of me you tripped and ended up in that machine…Just because I needed to do that stupid proposal! I…I am so sorry Viktor…I would understand if you never want to see me again…I….” He stopped as Viktor laid a hand on his cheek and stroked away the falling tears. “It was not your fault”, he whispered and smiled. “And your proposal was not stupid! It was the most wonderful thing I have ever experienced!”   
Jayce sniffed and put his hand over Viktors. “I am still waiting for your answer then….Do you want to marry me, midget?”   
Viktor laughed silently and nodded. “Of course I will, prig!”  
Jayce kissed him affectionately and Viktor felt how relieved he was in that moment and how a big burden had fell from his heart.   
“So now that this is out of the way”, he said as they separated again and looked to his bandaged left arm. “What did the Doctors say about my arm?” Jayce stoked carefully over the bandage as he answered. “The good news is that they didn’t need to amputate it. You had several broken bones and very severe flesh wounds. But they were all only around your hand and forearm.” He looked up to him. “It will heal but….they said that you will never be able to use it normally again. You will probably be very districted in its mobility and they said…..they said it would be better for you to give up your job as scientist….”   
Viktor snorted. “Yea they would love that huh? No way! I will find a way to make this work!” Jayce laughed silently and kissed him again. “I knew you would say that! And I will help you as much as I possibly can, I promise!” Viktor grinned broadly and locked his hand with Jayces. “I mean that is something I can expect from my wonderful fiancé, right?”

Viktor needed to stay in the hospital a little while longer. Jayce never left his side and when he needed to he always returned with a bouquet of flowers.   
“The academy took a stand as the questions about your accident came more and more often and how something like this was even possible.”, Jayce sighed. He just returned from a meeting with his parents and had talked with Stanwick on his way back to the hospital.   
“And? What did they said?”  
“Well they said it was all your fault of course.”   
Carefully Jayce placed the vase with the new flowers next to the others on Viktors nightstand. Today it was a bouquet filled with roses.   
“They said that you were not careful enough. That your ,sloppy behavior’ had caused that accident and that they should have seen this coming because you are a Zaunite.”   
His gaze was filled with concern as he looked over to Viktor who only shook his head.   
“And what did Stanwick say?”  
“That’s the good news. He said that he was able to convince the bosses to not expel you from the academy yet. So you can come back if you want to”  
Viktor sighed relieved and fell back into his pillows. “That’s something I guess. And how was the meeting with your parents?” He looked up to the older one who just grimaced and laid his hand on Viktors. “They are angry and disappointed. They wanted to still force me into this stupid marriage they had planned but I am an adult.” He stroked lovingly over his hand. “I can decide what I want and I said them so.” Viktor gulped and looked him over in worry.   
“And?”  
“They disinherited me and kicked me out.”  
Jayce started to laugh as he saw Viktors shocked face. “Everything is alright, midget! I mean I always argued with them over my future anyway. And now I am finally free from their expectations and can do whatever I want! And I want to spend the rest of my life with you~”   
Viktor shook his head and pulled Jayce into a passionate kiss before he rested his forehead on his and looked him directly into the eyes. “You are crazy, you know that, prig?” “Oh I hope that. Otherwise all of this would not work, right?” He laughed and kissed him again. “I hope you know the gravity of this situation. With the whole marriage thing I mean”, Viktor mumbled and he buried his face in Jayces shoulder. “You will not be able to stay here. And Zaun is not really a paradise. Plus….you will never be able to have children….” Lovingly Jayce stroked through his messy brown hair and smiled. “My paradise is everywhere were you are. If it is in Piltover or Zaun is not important. And the thing with the children” He pressed a kiss on his forehead. “We are the biggest geniuses that Piltover ever created in a long time. We will find a way to solve that too, don’t you think?”   
Unsure Viktor looked up to him. But as he saw the determination in Jayces gray-blue eyes it disappeared almost immediately.   
“So…we really do this hm?”  
“Yes! Together~“

3 weeks later was finally the day were the bandages were removed and he saw what the accident did with his arm for the first time. Sure, he was used to scars but what he saw then was so much worse than anything he had ever experienced. His whole forearm was covered in long and deep scars and it was clearly visible were the saw blades of the machine had cut into his flesh.   
“How does it fell?”  
Jayce sat like always beside his bed and eyed him concerned. “I don't know....It is almost completely numb”  
He tried to carefully move his fingers. It worked but it took all his concentration and energy and in the end it wasn't even much. “One thing is clear. Precise tasks will be completely impossible with this arm” Viktor looked confused up to Jayce as he laid his hand on his injured one. “What do you mean?”, he asked and smiled. “Are my hands good enough for this type of tasks? Then I will do them for you in the future.”  
Viktor snorted and shook his head. “You are incredible you know that right?”   
“And that's the reason that you love me so much~”  
“I hate you because you are right, prig~”

Shortly after they removed the bandaged from his arm Viktor was allowed to leave the hospital. He had not many things there but he needed Jayces help to transport all the flowers he had gifted him over the last weeks. He didn't want to leave even a single bouquet behind and like this all of them found their way into their shared room in the academy. He was not allowed to go to any lectures for another week and so he worked every minute were Jayce was in his to work on a few new projects.   
“What is that?”, Jayce asked curiously and wrapped his arms around him from behind. His head rested on his shoulder while Viktor sat at his workbench and was working on the mechanical arm. “That, my dear friend, is my spare arm~”, the smaller one explained and pushed a button and immediately the mechanical arm started to move. Beaming and satisfied with his work he pushed his glasses back up his nose and looked up to Jayce who was staring with pure fascination how the arm moved every single finger before it stopped.   
“Uhm....I hope you did not plan to amputate your arm and replace it with that one right?” His voice was a little bit concerned but Viktor took his worries away immediately. “No don't worry. As if I would amputate a still working body part to replace it with a mechanical one! Even though the Idea per se-”  
“VIKTOR!”  
“Chill I am just joking!”  
He laughed and took the screwdriver from the cabinet beside his workbench. “This arm will be part of a gear that I can wear on my shoulder. I just need a hand that can do the tasks that my other hand can't do anymore.”  
Jayce nodded understanding and observed how Viktor fixated the arm on the leather gear he had made for it.   
“Than let us test it!, Viktor said and stood up. With Jayces help they fixated the construct on his left shoulder and connected the cables with a few plugs on his arm. “It is just a prototype but it will do it's job.”, he explained Jayce as he moved the mechanical arm and nodded satisfied.   
“You are a goddamn genius!”, Jayce whispered and pulled him into a loving hug.


End file.
